Q: How does Sany define its strategic role in the global heavy construction equipment market, and what specific segments of the Mexican mining value chain does it prioritize for market penetration?

MR: Sany entered the machinery world in Mexico about 10 years ago, focusing on high-quality solutions for the mining industry. Our priority is durability, aiming for equipment that is a long-term solution, not a machine that is quickly discarded. We focus on manufacturing equipment designed to solve specific global mining problems.

Specifically in Mexico, we are focused on open-pit mining, covering hauling, excavation, and loading. Sany is positioning itself as a brand that offers solutions with premium quality, guaranteeing a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over the equipment’s useful life. Although we are relatively new to the sector, between 2024 and 2025, we have participated in various projects in Mexico, and the acceptance of our machinery has been excellent. 

MM: We have sold over 3,000 units over the past 10 years. Globally, Sany divides its business into three main areas: construction, mining, and energy. Our goal is not just to sell products, but to offer solutions that help the client achieve profitability and generate revenue. That is SANY's focus: going beyond the simple sale of machines.

This is crucial because the client pays very close attention to TCO. TCO encompasses all costs throughout the machine's operational lifespan. An excavator, for example, can operate for more than twelve or fifteen years. In fact, we have a client in Mexico whose Sany excavator is performing excellently and has already exceeded 12,000 working hours. 

Q: What strategies is Sany employing to overcome the perception of lower quality often associated with machinery from China in the mining sector?

MR: Indisputably, the main differentiator is the quality of our machines. There are many taboos in the market, not only concerning Chinese machinery but also regarding products like cars. This is common in Mexico and Latin America, but Sany has worked hard to ensure our customers and users overcome and discard that preconception.

Today, Sany focuses heavily on product quality. I can draw an analogy to cars, like a Lexus or a Toyota. You note that both Lexus and Toyota deliver long durability and great performance. The philosophy is similar in machinery: long durability at a low cost, always backed by the brand. I believe this focus is what Sany is doing to drive change: "Quality that transforms the world." 

MM: Yes, quality is important for the Sany brand, but also for the reputation of Chinese products overall. I arrived in Mexico in 2022. Even before that time, there were not many Chinese brands like Sany. Over the past three years, many Chinese brands have entered the market. When you drive on highways now, you see many beautiful, high-quality Chinese car brands.

China is changing its entire reputation regarding quality. There are different levels of quality in the world, and customers can choose the quality they want based on their budget. If you choose Sany, you are choosing a specific price point, but quality is always the most important thing for us.

Client accompaniment is key for us. During COVID-19, Sany kept many personnel deployed around the world, including in Mexico. This was because clients needed their machines to continue working; they needed people, technicians, and spare parts. This level of commitment is most important to us, not just earning money.

Q: What strategies have worked the best to gain trust in the mining sector as a Chinese newcomer? 

MR: Mexican mining clients cannot afford to have a machine idle for long periods. A machine that is part of a production chain cannot be stopped. Therefore, we are working to achieve excellence in our after-sales support. We care about every unit deployed across Mexico, and we provide precise follow-up for every machine. We understand that this is crucial. Sany is working closely with the team here in Mexico to truly understand what the Mexican industry wants. We often help the China headquarters understand how the Mexican market works and how the general American customer thinks. This means always being attentive to every truck, excavator, and loader in the mine to ensure they are not stopped. That is indisputably what our mining clients want, from the smallest to the largest.

MM: Success relies on three key steps. The first is establishing trust and confidence. When a Chinese brand like Sany approaches a client, especially in mining, there is initial resistance. This is why Sany invests significant resources in the sector. While product quality is paramount, clients need to trust that Sany’s quality is good and that their machines will work reliably in their mines. 

The second step is offering comprehensive solutions. After we invite clients to visit China to see our manufacturing process, they may agree to test a machine. Before testing, Sany needs to offer specific solutions. After-sales is only one part of this. The larger solution is showing the client how to use Sany machines to be more productive. This involves many elements, including systems that allow managers in the office to monitor operations. We call this a total solution system: one part is after-sales, one part is the system for controlling machine productivity, and another is health and training.

The third step comes when the client trusts the process and decides to acquire machinery. Perhaps they want 10 units. We then calculate the TCO over 10 or five years, including the cost of spare parts and after-sales support, because the client wants the lowest possible costs.

Q: What factors have influenced Sany Mexico's growth since its official launch, and what goals are you pursuing in the mining sector?

MR: China recognized the potential of the Mexican market, partly due to large infrastructure projects like the Mayan Train, seeing potential for machinery consumption. We began working to establish a company in Mexico in mid-2020. Although the company was established in 2020, we started operating in February 2021. Since then, we have seen quite significant growth.

We went from selling 20 machines in the first year to closing this year with 600 machines sold, resulting in a total Sany machinery population of over 2,500 units. This places us as the fourth or fifth most prevalent brand in Mexico over the last four years. We are already No. 1 in several market segments, including cranes. We are pleased to report that client acceptance has been very positive, and we are planning with very aggressive forecasts and goals for the coming years. If we concentrate specifically on mining machinery, we are targeting 100% growth next year. We expect to close 2025 with approximately 60 mining trucks sold in the Mexican market, meaning we aim for 120 in 2026. Overall, across all business segments, we aim for a total growth of 20% next year. 

We frequently study the Mexican market and recognize an enormous need in both non-metallic and metallic open-pit mining, which requires several heavy machine units. Some projects in Mexico have old equipment that generates high costs for companies because they are constantly investing heavily in repairs. This is unnecessary today. If they invest in a Chinese-manufactured Sany truck, they benefit from a low initial cost and strong long-term profitability. Those who are currently making this shift realize that investing in a Sany mining truck is a very good business decision.

MM: We have seen Sany machinery featured at least four times in photographs displayed during President Claudia Sheinbaum's morning press conferences, demonstrating our relevance in public projects over the last three and a half years.

As of October 2025, our market share in cranes is over 60%. Some European, US, and even other Chinese brands may sell only five or six units, but Sany is above them. Similarly, in mining trucks, Sany currently holds over 50% market share, specifically in the smaller 70t, 80t, or 100t capacity segment. For larger equipment, such as 400t capacity trucks, Sany and other Chinese brands are actively working on development, but established leaders of competing brands

Sany and other Chinese brands began focusing on the mining sector only in the past 10 years, as they initially concentrated on construction for the preceding 20 to 25 years. This difference matters because mining has two crucial components: machines and after-sales service. Aftersales, for example, accounts for 45% to 50% of revenue from competing brands, with the machines making up the remaining 50% to 55%.

This structure is why all Chinese brands are now preparing to enter the mining sector. For instance, in Brazil, Sany invested in 150 after-sales personnel, just for a major mining company that purchased many units. Sany also invests a significant amount of resources annually in Brazil’s Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN). This is the same model used by competing brands in Mexico, for example, at the Cananea mine, where the company maintains a large support team. Sany learns from these different models because it is essential to study successful practices and improve them.

Q: What are the company’s initiatives in terms of cleaner technology solutions for the Mexican mining industry?

MR: Sany is, by definition, green. We are working strongly on addressing carbon emissions by improving our machinery. We already have hybrid and electric machines operating in certain Mexican mines. 

With hybrid technology, Sany is committed to fighting carbon emissions and solving the mining client's problem of high fuel consumption generated by older trucks. We offer fuel consumption savings of 40% because we utilize hybrid technologies. Today, we have 100t hybrid mining trucks with over 40% fuel savings. 

We have many success stories, particularly in Monterrey, where clients have confirmed that the fuel savings far exceed initial estimates. For instance, some clients initially expected 30% savings but reported receiving as much as a 60% reduction in fuel consumption. This high efficiency is largely thanks to our hybrid versions and, in the future, our electric versions. We currently have several electric machines working in quarries and non-metallic mines, giving us strong participation in this segment.

If we look further into the future of energy, the public will see a green hydrogen semi-truck, a technology that is already deployed in China. We believe green hydrogen is the true future in terms of sustainability, not solely electric vehicles (EVs). 

MM: To complement these greener trucks, Sany also has a presence in the energy sector, for example, supplying power for mines. Sany currently has products that can store power for local stations, acting as an electroliner (charging station).

Q: What competitive strategy is Sany implementing to differentiate itself from other Chinese companies entering the Mexican market?

MR: Our success is driven by our commitment to quality and after-sales support. During the XXXVI International Mining Convention in Acapulco, over 40% of the companies were from China, and were offering different solutions for the Mexican mining sector. However, it is important to know how many of these companies are truly engaging with the sector. If you investigate how many of these Chinese companies have a real, permanent presence in Mexico, you will find only three or four. 

Sany is working to offer the Mexican market more than just a product brought from China. Clients need to know what supports that product. We have a genuine presence in Mexico, with seven branches and more than 150 Mexican employees working for the company. We also maintain two large spare parts warehouses in Guadalajara and a very large machinery warehouse. These are significant investments of more than US$15 million in Chinese capital in Mexico.

In the next five years, we see ourselves growing significantly, potentially reaching 15 branches and increasing our personnel to 300 or 400 employees. We aim to mark a clear difference from our competitors, aspiring not to be just another competitor, but the preferred choice for our clients.

MM: We already have several strategies planned for discussion with Sany China. First is the sales strategy for the next three years. Second, we are employing a dual strategy: direct involvement in some products and exploring potential commercial partners to place machinery on the Mexican market. 

We also want to focus on new opportunities and market segments. For example, there is a large market for rental units. In 2026, Sany will register a separate company for pure rental services. This rental strategy is essential because the truck market is estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 units. 

Sany Group is a China-based manufacturer and supplier of heavy construction equipment, specializing in concrete machinery, excavators, and cranes. The company is China’s largest construction machinery manufacturer and the fifth in the world. The company has 20 industrial parks in China and five parks overseas: the United States, India, Brazil, and Indonesia.